Coolest Starbucks around the world

May 28, 2013
|

Shipping Container Starbucks (Tukwila, Wash.): There's no arguing that this Tukwila, Wash., Starbucks stands out -- and for all the right reasons. Made using four reclaimed shipping containers, the design is as eco-friendly as it is innovative and, quite frankly, just plain cool-looking. Starbucks representative Alan Hilowitz explained, "Our designers were inspired to create this store both as a result of the shipyard that can be seen out the back windows of our headquarters in South Seattle, as well as a desire to recycle the same kind of shipping containers that transport our coffees and teas around the world." There's been additional shipping container stores built now, including one in Northglenn, Colo. / Tom Ackerman, Starbucks

by Marcy Franklin, TheDailyMeal.com

by Marcy Franklin, TheDailyMeal.com

It's been said that you're never farther than 170 miles from a Starbucks in America -- and we can assume that will become only more true as Starbucks continues its global domination. As of July 2012, there were 17,651 Starbucks locations worldwide, with an additional 1,500 slated to open in 2013. In fact, the company just recently announced that it would be opening its 1,000th location in Japan this summer.

And while a Starbucks location has a certain aesthetic -- dark wood paneling, Pantone-green accents, chic and comfortable seating for a true coffeehouse vibe -- we can all admit that our Starbucks locations have a big-box store, cookie-cutter feel to them. So when we find uniquely designed Starbucks stores from Singapore to Amsterdam, we get excited for the unusual. With innovative design, unique architecture that fits within the city's landscape and unusual concepts, these are the Starbucks worth visiting.

From all corners of the globe, Starbucks has made an imprint on the global coffeee scene. Check out these unique Starbucks locations around the globe -- maybe it'll inspire your next travel itinerary when you're visiting these countries.

Kobe, Japan

It's not just the trademark green-and-white exterior that everyone loves at this Kobe, Japan, location. What you may not know is that the building was originally built by Americans in 1907, and was damaged in the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake. The owner then sold the building to the city of Kobe, where it was stripped, the materials preserved, and built in its present location. The Starbucks, which opened in 2009, has an Old World coffeehouse charm, with its original 20th-century decor, that's unlike what you'd expect to find in Japan.

Starbucks Flagship (New Delhi, India)

The first Starbucks to open in New Delhi had massive lines for two days straight, said numerous media outlets - and we can see why. Riffing off Indian tea culture (no doubt in part with Starbucks' partnership with Tata teas), the flagship location has locally made furniture and decor and serves traditional Indian foods, like the Lal Arachi Mirch turnover (potato, cheese and pickled red chile in a croissant), next to the classic Starbucks foods.

Starbucks Porto Chino (Bangkok, Thailand)

We love a good Starbucks drive-through, and this may just rival the urban container Starbucks drive-throughs in the U.S. The first drive-through Starbucks in Thailand (and the first Starbucks in Asia to receive a gold LEED certification for its environmentally friendly practices), the Porto Chino drive-through takes a modernist approach to the traditional Starbucks store. At the end of 2012, the number of Starbucks planned for Thailand numbered at 154 -- but this just may be the coolest one there.

Starbucks Cineleisure Orchard (Singapore)

This gorgeous Starbucks is located in a mall -- would you believe it? The newly opened Starbucks location has all of the decor you'd expect from a Starbucks and we can't get enough of it. Bonus? It's open 24 hours a day.

'Starboxer,' USS Boxer (California)

Cruise ship Starbucks are so yesterday. Introducing the newest floating Starbucks aboard the USS Boxer, a navy warship, called the "Starboxer." It's a fully functioning coffee shop with trained baristas and the Starbucks signature drinks, but all earnings from the Starbucks location go to the Boxer's Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Fund. (Of course, Starbucks coffee has been served on navy ships since 2011, The Huffington Post points out, aboard the USS Carl Vinson.)

Starbucks Xintiandi (Shanghai, China)

In the heart of Xintiandi, a popular tourist district in Shanghai, are several mainstream commercial stores -- including a Starbucks in a traditional Shikumen building. One of two Starbucks in the area, this one sits in the promenade and the heart of the shopping district.

Starbucks 'The Bank' (Amsterdam)

Located in a former bank, the 4,500-square-foot subterranean concept store is apparently a "glimpse into Starbucks' vision of the future." And with everything from floating communal seating and local design touches (think Delft tiles, bike-inspired decor) to an on-site bakery and something called the "Slow Coffee Theatre," the future definitely looks different.

Ski-In/Ski-Out Starbucks (Squaw Valley, Calif.)

When it opened last February, the Squaw Valley location earned the distinction of being the world's first ski-in/ski-out Starbucks. Located at a staggering elevation of 8,000 feet, it's essentially the skier's answer to a drive-through Starbucks. Upon its opening, Squaw Valley president and CEO Andy Wirth explained the concept's appeal: "Nowhere else in the world can skiers and riders enjoy a delicious Starbucks coffee without missing a beat on the slopes."

Shipping Container Starbucks (Tukwila, Wash.)

There's no arguing that this Tukwila, Wash., Starbucks stands out -- and for all the right reasons. Made using four reclaimed shipping containers, the design is as eco-friendly as it is innovative and, quite frankly, just plain cool-looking. Starbucks representative Alan Hilowitz explained, "Our designers were inspired to create this store both as a result of the shipyard that can be seen out the back windows of our headquarters in South Seattle, as well as a desire to recycle the same kind of shipping containers that transport our coffees and teas around the world." There's been additional shipping container stores built now, including one in Northglenn, Colo.

Fukuoka Starbucks (Fukuoka, Japan)

Designed by Kengo Kuma and Associates, the store is located on the street leading to the Dazaifu Tenmangu shrine, which apparently influenced the firm's approach to the project. The designers wanted to have the store fit in seamlessly with the setting, and so the interior features some 2,000 light wood blocks interwoven throughout the length of the store. According to reports, the stunning effect is meant to evoke the look of branches in a forest, giving the impression that the store is "nestled in a tree." Design-wise, it might just be the coolest Starbucks ever.

Allure of the Seas Starbucks (Royal Caribbean International)

It may more or less look like the kind of garden variety Starbucks outlet you'd find at your local mall, but this shop has the benefit of a slightly more unique location: onboard Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas. The 5,400-passenger ship debuted in October of 2010, and features everything from a zip line and surfing simulators to an open-air, tree-lined "Central Park." Not exactly what you'd consider typical digs for a Starbucks store.

Xi'an Starbucks (Xi'an, China)

Looking like some sort of futuristic battleship, this Starbucks in Xi'an, China (apparently the city's first when it opened in 2007), has quite a unique exterior. The sharp angles and symmetric wood paneling make for quite the stand-out-in-the-crowd design.

There's no high-concept architectural design or special eco-friendly elements incorporated - it's just a cute little yellow cottage of a coffee shop, and if there wasn't a sign, you might not even realize it was a Starbucks from the outside.